Southern EU leaders to hold Brexit meeting in Spain

SPANISH Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s office has announced the country will hold a meeting on 10 April to discuss Britain’s formal notification to leave the EU.

The leaders of France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta will gather at the El Pardo palace outside Madrid.

His office said, “The main goal of this meeting is to discuss all the work that is being carried out to have good Brexit negotiations.”

Speaking last weekend Rajoy said Brexit was bad not just for the UK but for the rest of Europe too, adding that the goal must now be to ensure “the best possible relationship” between Britain and the EU both during the withdrawal process and in future.

“But it must be left very clear that you cannot be better off outside Europe than inside Europe,” he said.

He went on to say,“Gibraltar leaves the European Union when the UK leaves, not because it is part of the UK, but because the UK is responsible for its foreign affairs.”

“From then on, all relations between the EU and the UK or those that affect Gibraltar must take into account Spain’s opinion and have its favourable vote.”

And Spain’s  Foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis, said, “We have made a very generous co-sovereignty offer, but two can’t dance if one doesn’t want to.”